Meet the Banners
by MarvelGeek
Summary: Bruce has secrets, he didn't mean for them to be secrets but nobody ever asked so he didn't tell. But when Bruce's twin brother begins to succumb to a disease that he and Bruce both share. The team learns things about the physicist they hadn't known before. How he has a twin, he's Mexican, he has an older sister and brother, he has mild CF and his father is an abusive alcoholic.
1. Chapter 1

The call that made Bruce's heart break came at 9:32 pm on a Friday night. He'd picked up the ratty old flip-phone on his desk in surprise for he'd only given that number to a certain few people and he wasn't sure that any of them would be calling him this late at night, if at all. Yet, against his better judgement, he answered the device by flipping it open and holding it to his ear.

By the time he'd slammed the phone shut and thrown the damned thing onto his desk, Bruce was met by a pounding headache and overwhelming worry and grief. He lurched towards the bathroom, his head pounding and palms sweating as his stomach did flip-flops.

He threw himself down on his knees in front of the toilet, he began dry heaving and for the first time since he'd become an Avenger, he couldn't catch his breath. He winced at the wet, gasping noises that came from his bum lungs as he tried to fight back the overwhelming tears that threatened at the corners of his eyes.

"Dr. Banner? Would you like me to inform Sir of your condition?"

JARVIS spoke from above him and Bruce blinked, owlishly at the ceiling before shaking his head, mutely. He really didn't need anyone else seeing him like this. An overbearing and painful sense of guilt settled itself in Bruce's chest. He hadn't spoken to his older twin brother in months, not since he'd left India and now...now he was almost gone. Succumbing to the same disease he'd struggled with during their childhood...severe Cystic Fibrosis.

Bruce himself had mild CF and had managed to get by on daily nebulizers/inhalers, his vitamins, his pancreatic enzyme capsules and huffing or coughing episodes when he was alone in his room. That always helped him loosen the mucus in his chest and managed to keep the Avengers in the dark about his condition.

But not his twin brother, not Rodolfo 'Rudy' Banner, he always had to have several mucus loosening therapies a day and he was always so much worse off than Bruce. Yet the twins spent a limitless amount of time together, they were more than twin brothers, they were best friends..or they had been.

They had all known that one day, Rudy would succumb to his disease but Bruce had been hoping with every year that he passed, Rudy would live too. They were meant to be alive together, to die together! They came into the world together so they should leave together too! But...that wasn't going to happen. Rudy was dying and Bruce had to go be with him and their family.

Bruce reached a quivering hand to his forehead and wished that the horrible pounding would cease. They were going to take his twin off the ventilator on Tuesday, he had to be there. To hold his older sister, comfort his older brother and say some words at the funeral that would undoubtably follow soon after. This would break her, his big sister Tatiana and it didn't help that she was pregnant. The father of her baby...well...he wasn't exactly 'in the picture' and he couldn't let her lose her child because of this. He would have to leave in the morning.

Bruce staggered as he pushed himself up and off the bathroom tiles, lurching towards his room where he snatched his inhaler off of the desk and took a few puffs, before going ahead and grabbing his duffel from the back of his closet. He grabbed a few pairs of clothes and proceeded to stuff them inside the bag, along with his meds and other assorted things. He made sure to set his ratty flip-phone on his night table incase Tatiana called him again.

But Bruce couldn't sleep that night, it was impossible. Every time he would drift off, his hand would reach across the bed for Rudy. They had slept in the same bed every night until they both went off to different colleges. For the first time in a long time, Bruce missed the familiar weight of his identical twin beside him. And he was reminded of those nights when he would sleep with one hand on Rudy's chest, just to make sure his brother was still breathing.

Oh, Rudy.

-TimeSkip-

When Bruce got out of bed the next morning he felt like utter hell, warmed over and when he looked in the mirror he realized that he looked like it too. The bags under his eyes had bags of their own, and his dark fluffy hair stuck up in every possible direction except the correct ones. Bruce groaned and ran a hand over the stubble on his chin. He knew he shouldn't go home like this, it would worry Tatiana and she really didn't need anymore stress.

Speaking of home, how was he going to get to Mexico on such short notice? Yes, he was born in Vera Cruz, Mexico. He assumed that he would have to ask a favor from Tony, because he didn't totally want to hop over the border to get there.

Bruce just sighed in frustration as he pulled on a purple shirt, pants, flip flops and a pale tan jacket before swallowing his pills dry, grabbing his stuffed duffel and clomping noisily down the stairs and into the kitchen. Where the rest of the Avengers were sitting around the table.

Thor was happily munching on some pop tarts, Natasha was trying to stab Clint's hand with a fork every time the archer tried to steal her food, Tony was drink a cup of coffee, Steve was drinking coffee as well but was also reading the morning paper as Bruce walked in. They all looked up at him and their eyes widened at his appearance, and the physicist cleared his throat, softly.

"I have to leave to-."

"Nope! Stop right there, Brucie-pie! You aren't going anywhere."

Bruce was cut off by a clearly angry Tony Stark, who got up from the table with a huff and came over to glare at the slightly shorter man who cowed at his gaze. Bruce tried to open his mouth to explain but ended up being cut off again.

"Tony, I was just-!"

"No, Bruce! Why can't you just understand you have a family here?! We all care about you!"

Bruce rolled his eyes at the genius, he wouldn't let him explain! He wasn't leaving forever! Why didn't they trust him?! Bruce tried to speak again, determined to finish his sentence.

"I'm just going to-."

"Bruce. Please, you're not going to hurt any of us!"

This time it was Steve who cut him off, and Bruce glared at the super soldier, who to his annoyance didn't bother to flinch at all. Bruce finally let his duffel fall to the floor and his eyes flashed green in anger as he yelled angrily.

"I'm not going because I want too! I have to go take care of some family problems, okay?!"

He snapped, in frustration before trudging over and and plopping himself into a chair, making sure to calm the Other Guy before he said anything else. Bruce rubbed at his temples to calm himself and was surprised when he felt a warm hand placed on his shoulder. The shy physicist looked up in confusion to see Clint looking at him, the blond archer's brow was furrowed in concern.

"What happened?"

That question came from Steve who was looking at him from around Clint. Bruce just sighed and leaned further into his hands, not looking at his team as he whispered into his hands.

"My twin brother...he's dying. Well...he's always been dying but now he's really dying. They're taking him off life support on T-Tuesday."

He groaned as he said it, it was so much more final after he'd said it and if anything it made him feel even worse. Bruce physically willed himself not to crack in front of his friends, for their sake and his own. He heard a sharp intake of breath behind him, and suddenly another hand was on his shoulder.

"I am deeply sorry, Shield-brother Bruce."

Thor boomed softly and Bruce looked up into to concerned eyes of the god. Bruce gave him a small smile as he shoved himself up and forced a wider smile onto his face. Then he looked at Tony, the billionaire's expression had softened greatly.

"Tony, can you get me a flight to Vera Cruz? I should go home to be with my family."

Bruce asked, hopefully and Tony looked confused as to where Bruce wanted to go.

"Mexico? You're Mexican?"

Tony asked and Bruce nodded quietly, he kind of thought it was obvious. But it clearly wasn't by the confused looks of the team.

"How did I not get that?! But yeah, I'll book one of my planes for all of us."

Tony answered as he whipped out his phone and began texting rapidly. Bruce smiled in relief but then his brow furrowed and he registered just what Tony had said.

"Wait...All of you?"


	2. Chapter 2

Well, Tony hadn't been lying when he said 'All of them'. Bruce reasoned as he pressed his head against the small airplane window. He felt absolutely sick to his stomach again, he attributed it to air-sickness as a default as he looked around the plane. Tony was drinking as he, Thor and Steve played cards and Natasha and Clint were chatting it up near the back, so nothing was out of the ordinary there.

Bruce was submerged in his memories again as he closed his eyes for some much needed sleep. He could almost hear his older twin brother's childish voice.

'_**Hey Robbie? What if one day...we stopped taking our medicine?' **_

_Eight year old Bruce had rolled over in the bed and looked at his twin, his brother's eyes were alight with the same thrill and excitement that Bruce saw in them the first time they climbed the oak tree in their backyard. _

_**'But we'd die, Rudy.'**_

_Bruce had whispered, horror filling his childish voice and Rudy had looked at their ceiling with a sigh, reaching up his hand as if he could touch it. Touch something so far away and out of reach to his small hand. _

**_'I'd die first. You'd die later. Besides...the doctors say I'll die in my twenties at the latest, so what's the point of dragging it out?'_**

_Rudy had sighed, letting his outstretched hand fall flat and land unceremoniously on their fire truck printed comforter. Bruce had reached out a small hand and tugged Rudy's right hand up again. So both Bruce's hand and Rudy's were held up together. _

**_'So? The doctors say I'll die in my mid-thirties, but by then you will have passed your twenty year deadline! You'd be able to die with me!'_**

_Bruce had insisted, cheerfully and Rudy had yanked his hand away instantly, curling up in the comforter and turning away from his twin. When he wasn't facing his brother, Rudy let the bitter tears pour down his round childhood cheeks. _

**_'I'll fall down before you Bruce, and you won't be able to pick me back up again!'_**

_Rudy cried, the muffled words thick with emotion and unshed tears. It was unfair, unbelievably unfair. Bruce bit his bottom lip at his twin's words and scooted over to snake his hand in Rudy's and tug it aloft with all his eight year old might. His twin rolled over to stare wide eyed at the way Bruce held his hand high. _

'_**I'll never let you fall, Rudy! I'll always be there to catch you!'**_

_Bruce had proclaimed with all his might, puffing his tiny chest out as he vowed. Rudy had laughed at his twin's antics and both of them fell asleep in_ _each others twig-like arms. _Now, a twenty-nine year old Bruce was on his way to say goodbye. He'd failed...all he'd needed to do was make sure that he kept Rudy alive for six more years, then they could die together. They'd been so close to making it to thirty and now...it was over, he'd failed. Rudy had fallen and there was nobody there to catch him.

He snuck another look at his team, how was he supposed to tell them about his CF? 'Hey guys, guess what? I'm drowning very slowly and will probably be dead by the time I'm thirty five, if I live past thirty five, its a miracle and all I have to look forward to is being on an oxygen tank and getting a lung transplant. Oh, and when my doctor says fifty in relation to me it's in the 'sometimes they live to be even fifty!' sense.' How was he supposed to fit that into a daily conversation? He didn't want to be babied or coddled, he'd been dying since the day he was born goddammit! It wouldn't change a thing. He'd still be dying! Rudy would still be dying! And it would still be fucking unfair!

Bruce took a series of deep breaths to calm himself and the Other Guy who had started pushing at his consciousness. Then he almost jumped out of his skin when Tony sat down beside him, he blinked at the genius in confusion and surprise but Tony just gave a small smile.

"So..who in your family are we going to be meeting?"

He asked and Bruce stiffened slightly, but the rest of the Avengers moved over as to hear Bruce's answer.

"Well, at the hospital you'll probably meet my older brother, Teo, my older sister, Tatiana, my uncle, Tío Antonio and aunt, Tía Rosa. In a way you'll meet Rudy, that's my twin brother's name."

Bruce sighed, softly. He couldn't help but picture his twin's face the last time he saw it, the young man's cheeks were slightly sunken but his warm brown eyes were wide and alight with life and humor. He'd punched Bruce's shoulder and teased him about still being younger than him. Bruce had smiled back and answered with his usual answer of 'Only by eleven minutes, Rudy!' His older twin had laughed so hard that Bruce could almost ignore the familiar sound of air whistling in his lungs.

"If you don't mind us asking...what is he dying from?"

Steve whispered, softly and Bruce just shrugged his shoulders.

"Cystic Fibrosis."

He said bluntly, and before Steve or Thor or anyone else could open their mouth to ask what it was, Bruce whipped around and snapped loudly.

"It means drowning! He's been drowning slowly since the day we were born! His own body is making itself die!"

Bruce screeched, then his hands shot up to cover his mouth and he turned back around to look out the window, whispering an 'I'm sorry' as he stopped looking at them. Why did he keep hurting them! He keeps failing everyone! Bruce shoved down the tears that rose to his eyes with an iron fist of willpower.

"It's okay to be upset, Bruce. It's natural."

Steve whispered as he reached towards the physicist but then thought better of it and let his hand fall down limply.

"You're alright."

He added and Bruce's eyes widened at another memory.

**_'You're alright, Bruce! You're okay!'_**

_Bruce had always helped Rudy with his lung infections and there was the occasional times they got them together, but the first time Bruce got one by himself was when they were thirteen. Bruce had sat rigid upright in bed and started gasping wetly and clutching at his chest, frantically. Rudy had been at his side in an instant, grabbing for a medicine-filled inhaler to hold him off until he could get Tatiana or Teo. Their father wouldn't care and he would just tell Bruce to man-up and leave him alone. _

_Rudy shoved in inhaler in his brother's mouth and made the terrified boy look him in the eyes. They breathed in sync as they both tried to settle Bruce's breath. _

**_"_**_**Keep breathing, Brucie."**_

_Rudy had ordered and a terrified Bruce had obeyed his older twin, as Rudy pulled Bruce into his chest and began pounding on his chest to loosen the mucus that was undoubtably packed in there. _

**_"Ru...dy!"_**

_Bruce gasped as he coughed and hacked loudly. Rudy glared at him as he screamed for their older brother and sister. _

**_"_**_**Hush, Bruce! TATIANA! TEO! HELP! BRUCE CAN'T BREATHE!"**_

_Rudy screeched loudly, as he held Bruce tightly and rocked him slowly as he gasped for breath, that he just couldn't get. Bruce had never been more terrified in his life. He'd thought he was going to die then and there. He passed out moments later, to Rudy shrieking loudly. _

**_"HELP! BRUCE! STAY AWAKE!"_**


End file.
